Montreal ER Wait Times Remain High as Hospitals Operate Above Capacity in Early March

Montreal ER Capacity Summary — March 8, 2026

Montréal’s emergency departments continued operating under sustained pressure during the first week of March, with many hospitals reporting capacity levels well above their designed operating thresholds. Data from 21 emergency departments across the region shows that while conditions varied between hospitals, overall activity remained elevated across the network.

Across the latest reporting period, capacity levels fluctuated day to day but consistently reflected heavy patient volumes. Several major urban hospitals recorded particularly high operational loads, alongside persistent numbers of patients remaining in emergency departments for extended periods. When compared with the previous week, the overall pattern suggests steady demand rather than a short-term surge.

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Time Window

This analysis examines 14 days of emergency department reporting data from February 22 to March 7, 2026 in the Montréal health region.

Two consecutive seven-day periods were analyzed:

Most recent week

• March 1 – March 7, 2026

Prior week

• February 22 – February 28, 2026

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Data Coverage

• Emergency departments analyzed: 21 installations across Montréal
• Total records analyzed: 294 daily installation-level aggregate records
• Dataset completeness: Full dataset retrieved for the specified period

Each daily record represents aggregated hourly reporting data from individual emergency departments.

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Key Metrics

The analysis examines operational indicators including:

• Average reported capacity percentage
• Average patients remaining in the emergency department longer than 24 hours
• Average patients remaining longer than 48 hours
• Average patients waiting to be seen

All averages referenced in this report are calculated as record-weighted means across reporting installations.

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Most Recent Week: March 1 – March 7, 2026

During the most recent week, Montréal emergency departments generally operated at elevated capacity levels. Many installations reported daily average capacity levels significantly above baseline operating thresholds.

Large tertiary hospitals were among the busiest facilities during this period. Several recorded daily averages exceeding 140% capacity, meaning that patient volumes frequently surpassed the number of available treatment spaces during portions of the day.

Prolonged stays

Extended patient stays remained visible across the region’s emergency network.

During the week:

• Several major hospitals reported double-digit averages of patients remaining longer than 24 hours
• Smaller numbers of patients also remained in emergency departments longer than 48 hours, particularly in higher-volume facilities

Daily averages of patients waiting to be seen also exceeded 20 individuals in some installations during busier periods.

Variation between hospitals

Operational load varied across Montréal’s emergency departments.

Smaller or specialized installations tended to report lower capacity levels and shorter queues. In contrast, several large urban hospitals consistently handled heavier patient volumes, reflecting their broader role within the regional healthcare system.

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Prior Week: February 22 – February 28, 2026

The preceding week showed similarly elevated levels of emergency department activity.

Across the region:

• Multiple installations reported average daily capacity levels exceeding 150% during portions of the week
• Several hospitals recorded more than 20 patients remaining longer than 24 hours on average
• Waiting queues for medical assessment remained present across a number of facilities

Peak capacity periods

Some of the highest capacity readings during the two-week window occurred during this earlier period, when several emergency departments recorded maximum hourly capacity levels above 200%.

These peaks reflect moments when patient volumes temporarily exceeded the number of available treatment spaces.

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Two-Week Comparison

Comparing the two weeks shows broadly similar operational patterns across Montréal’s emergency departments.

Capacity levels and patient waiting indicators fluctuated from day to day, but the overall level of demand remained relatively consistent. Several large hospitals continued to report ongoing numbers of patients remaining in emergency departments for extended periods.

Taken together, the data suggests that Montréal’s emergency network experienced steady operational pressure across the full two-week period, rather than a short-lived surge in patient activity.

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Methodology

This summary analyzes publicly reported emergency department operational data for the Montréal health region.

The analysis:

• Aggregated daily installation-level reporting data from all emergency departments in the region
• Examined operational indicators including capacity levels and patient waiting measures
• Compared two consecutive seven-day reporting periods

Derived averages are calculated as record-weighted means across installations, based on daily aggregated reporting intervals.

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Informational Use Statement

This summary is based on publicly reported emergency department operational data and is provided for informational purposes only. Capacity percentages and wait-time indicators describe reported operational load and do not represent measures of clinical safety or quality of care.